A great cheer could be heard by the collected group of workers, delegates, reprentatives, and local officials, as Ferdinand de Lesseps swung a ceremonial shovel and lifted out a patch of dirt. Although the amount carried out was miniscule, it was the first cut on the start of the Panama Canal, that would one day link the Pacific and the Atlantic, as a symbol of the glory of France and the progress of civilization. Like the French Empire, the vast oceans would be mingled and would become one, in the name of progress.

After the concession of the Panama Canal from the Colombian Government, there had been of course the outbreak of war between the French Republic, and its Grand Coalition, and the Conservative Coalition. This had not however, disrupted French progress on the canal. Despite invasion scares stemming from Swedish Caribbean fleet movements, ultimately work had proceeded as normal. This had in fact, given extra time to plan out the proposed canal, and to establish French institutions for its support in Colombia.

To start with, the idea of a lock-less canal had been abandoned. It was realized by the engineers assigned to the project that while the direct cut was theoretically possible, the geography, including mountains and lakes, simply meant that the cost involved would be far too expensive. Instead, the canal would incorporate locks, lifting ships up to to a lake in the middle - to be named Lake Vauban after the famous French military engineer of the 17th century - before on the other side setting them down into the waters of the Pacific. Geological exploration had been much more extensive than previously, and there had been continual efforts to deal with the threat of jungle diseases after initial studies showed the vulnerability of work forces in the area. Thus, when construction began in 1874, France was far prepared than it would be otherwise.

As a result, when the first cut was made, there was extensive preparation already in place. Workers, equipped with the newest in machinery, with hospitals set up to support them, good and well maintained quarters, and operating off well planned construction programs, were ready to go to work. A network of supporting trade and logistics was ready to go into action. Engineers and geologists had combed the routes, and the French company associated with the canal had been financially backed up by the French government, officially declaring it a matter of National Prestige. In effect, with this announcement, France had guaranteed that the canal would be built, barring any expense. To fail to do so was to fail France itself, and that could not be accepted.

In order to increase the flexibility of the French Navy, there will be a variety of changes made to its structure. France has suffered from problems with the capability to form appropriate numbers of full squadrons of ships in small overseas fleets, and thus is aiming to provide for its ability to host a larger number, of smaller squadrons. In essence, France will reduce its squadrons from two divisions of three, to two divisions of two.

This means that the French naval squadron will be over the size of 4 rather than 8. The main benefit of this will be increased capability for flexibility, more contiguous divisions when small ship classes are used, and easier ability to form fleets. While there are obvious disadvantages in regards to organizational problems with having large numbers of squadron formations, this will be ameliorated by certain measures. France will also be forming Flotilles, or Flotillas, composed of two-three smaller squadrons, expected to form large ship components as necessary. This is to help reduce administrative overload where necessary.

Such a reform will be accompanying a general reformation of French naval organization - France has chosen to give to Japan a variety of its older ironclads, and as a result France needs to conduct a vigorous reorganization of its naval forces. Also, since France now has no fewer than 7 fleets under its command (although two are coastal defense fleets) it is necessary for the French navy to appropriately shift units to these.

During the recent conflict with the Americans, as well as during the intervention in Belgium, French reconnaissance balloons proved to be of tremendous use. They enabled units to detect enemies, feeding valuable reconnaissance back to friendly forces. France was greatly impressed as her newspapers heard of the stories of her brave explorers of the sky, and its leaders, some of whom had escaped from the Siege of Paris by the Germans by balloon, were also intrigued.

Inspired by this, by the stories of air ships, and by a desire to expand the glory and prestige of the French Republic, there was as a result an initiative in the Parliament to establish some sort of program to attempt to capitalize on such feelings. Initially the government was somewhat taken aback by this, but during subsequent debates it realized with great interest the possibility as well; that of promoting French science of the air.

As a result, there was established by the law of the French parliament an "Ecole de l'Air", with a commission, to attempt to gather scientists and other fellows of note for the development of the French technologies of the skies. Dupuy de Lome, who had assisted in the development of the French fleet, was given an honory post, and contributed significantly with finances, and Henri Giffard was asked to join.

French technical stations are to be established in both the plains of Northern France, but also in the mountains of the Alps, to examine the effects of altitude without the need for airship travel. Most of the developments however, will happen in the industrialized north. The Navy has also volunteered a variety of equipment for the effort.

France's hope in this regard is both to enhance the prestige of the French Republic, and to make efforts towards developing a viable advance in science.

The origins of Marianne lie with the 1st Republic, as it began the long process of modernizing France, creating a national mythology of the Republic. Although France came up with a number of its national personifications during the period, and used Minerva and Hercules, Marianne would last through the ages, becomming the symbol of the Second Republic. Marianne would represent reason and liberty, and would become the symbol of French Republican thought.

For the current Third Republic, Marianne is a symbol of the triumph of the Republic over the forces of Empire and tyranny that preceeded it. Marianne is progress, logic, reason, and the victory of liberty over the enemies of France. Marianne is a symbol of the Third Republic already, with statues already across the Republic of France, and on French postage stamps. Despite her oppression under the Second Empire, the ideal of Marianne survived and grew stronger.

To cement the ideal of Marianne, much like the ideal of the Third Republic, France has made the decision to establish an official state mythology of Marianne. Across France, from Paris to Saigon, to Tahiti, to Dakar, to Algeria, to Madagascar, from the Seine and the Loire to the Mekong, France is to encourage the creation of the "Cult of Marianne". Towns and cities across France will be encouraged to use statues of Marianne for their town squares. Marianne statues are to be used in greater degrees for beautification in public places, as monuments of the Republic, and on coinage. Busts of Marianne will be built for town halls and places of the meetings of the representatives of the Republic's government. Ships of France will use Marianne as their figure heads, and the usage of Marianne for decorations of warships of France will be increased in number. Living models of Marianne, representing the Regions of France, will also make their appearance, extending the ideals of France from marble, bronze, and steel, to living flesh. In relations of the international nature, it is also thought that France will also be using Marianne and foreign personifications as symbols of cooperation between France and other governments.

France is a nation of ideals and beliefs, and Marianne represents this - Marianne is France, distilled to its purest essence, of liberty, equality, logic, reason, of the fierce spirit that has animated the French people for centuries to press onwards, to explore, to conquer, to liberate. The cult of Marianne, is the cult of France itself.

Treaty of Monrovia

The nations of Germany, France, Denmark, and the United States of America, desirous of peace and goodwill between them, will agree to the following Treaty of Monrovia. This ends the War of the New England Secession, terminating the state of hostilities that had existed between the Powers of the four nations, with the goal of eternal amity and friendship between the nations. It was signed in Monrovia, by representatives of the four nations, and will be the binding law between the four,

- Peace and the termination of hostilities will be arranged
- Captured merchant ships will be returned to their owners, along with any prisoners
- Liberia will be demilitarized except for local security forces, under inspections by a joint Franco-Danish-German-American Committee.
- America will pay 900 million Franc equivalents in American dollars in reparations over the War, this to be done over the course of 3 years and divided equally between France, Denmark, and Germany
- Denmark will be assured free trade within the USA
- Coalition troops will evacuate Nova Scotia, and any blockade of the American coast will cease